


the general store

by mvrcredi



Category: Marvel 616, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fae, Alternate Universe - Magic, Based on a Tumblr Post, Fae & Fairies, Fluff, Lowkey a magic/supernatural AU, M/M, barely
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-06 18:58:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15892089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mvrcredi/pseuds/mvrcredi
Summary: Steve doesn't stop the rain for just anyone.(Not even for Mrs. Arbogast's garden!)





	the general store

**Author's Note:**

> (Inspired by [this](http://narunfiltered.tumblr.com/post/109895913658/retail-atlanta-ga-i-was-working-as-a-cashier) tumblr post.)

 

 

“Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“No, I’m alright, dear. Unless of course you can make this dreadful downpour go away. I don’t think my garden can take much more water.”

“Sorry, no can do, Mrs. Arbogast, you know me. I do hope the hydrangeas survive the weather, though, they grew in quite nice this year. Wouldn’t want them to wilt.”

“I agree. Well, it was worth a shot. Thank you, Steven.”

"You're very welcome. Have a lovely afternoon," Steve smiles kindly at the elderly woman as she collects her purchases and turns to leave.

As she steps out, the door's bell chimes, notifying Steve of her leave as he picks up his book once more. There’s still one other person in the store, but he didn’t seem like one for small talk— those from out-of-town never usually did. However, this one seemed anxious, shy, compared to the typical will for haste. Steve would offer his help, but the man looked like he might jump out of his skin if Steve were to start speaking.

It’s only a few minutes later when the stranger appears in front of the counter, announcing his presence with a quiet clearing of his throat. Steve looks up from his book with a gentle smile. “What can I help you with?”

“Do you sell coffee here? Also, do you know of any place I can stay nearby? This town doesn’t seem to have a motel,” the man asks, twiddling his thumbs. He glances at Steve with big, blue puppy dog eyes, something that made Steve want to give the man the world.

“Yeah, it was closed down a few years ago,” Steve shrugs. His novel was bookmarked and shut, now. “I can give you a roadmap of the region? Maybe you can find a motel at a town a bit further on. Oh! And yes, we... well, _I_ sell coffee. Cheap stuff, but still coffee. Is that okay?”

“That’d be— yes, that’d be perfect, thank you...”

“Steve,” he provides, grinning a bit brighter now.

“Steve,” the man parrots. “Tony.”

“Well, Tony,” Steve liked the sound of the man’s name on his tongue, “you can just tell me how you like your coffee and I’ll be back in a bit. There are a few different maps on that rack over there if you do want to browse.”

“Oh, um, thank you. I like it black, please. As caffeinated as possible,” Tony smiles now, eyes twinkling. Steve feels a new warmth in his chest.

Steve gives a nod, before heading off into the door marked ‘EMPLOYEES ONLY’, which only really meant him, as well as friends (he’d say family too, but he hadn’t any to consider), neighbours, etcetera. The small town he lived in, Timely, was a tightly-knit community, it wasn’t uncommon for a fellow townsfolk to wander into the back to grab something free, or perhaps something not on regular shelves. It was, after all, a town of supernatural beings. You couldn’t exactly have jars and wicker baskets full of things one wouldn’t necessarily use for a typical family dinner out for all, humans included, to see.

The coffee is made quickly, and soon enough Steve is re-emerging into the store with a fresh cup of a hot, bitter brew. Steve, personally, would’ve wanted some sugar, at the very least. He finds Tony looking through different pamphlets and roadmaps.

“Find anything about a motel?” Steve questions as he approaches. He hands Tony the coffee.

“A bit. Nearest one is about sixty miles from here. Thank you, again,” he says, taking a generous sip of the still scalding liquid. Steve wonders how it didn’t burn his throat. “Which isn’t too bad, but I’m out of gas. How much is this, by the way?”

“Free,” Steve replies, turning his gaze towards the window looking onto the sad parking lot. He watches steady streams of water pouring onto the ground from the overhang above the shop. “I may have said “sell,” but what I meant was complimentary. We don’t sell coffee, there’s just a machine if anyone asks.”

“Hm,” Tony acknowledges. There’s a brief silence, as he moves to look out the window as well. “I just wish this rain would stop. It’s kind of a mood dampener, I think.”

It was then when Steve turned to look at Tony. He didn’t stop the rain for just anyone, but for some odd reason, Steve had the overwhelming urge to do it, just for Tony. Something about his cool, azure eyes, olive skin, handsome face. His smooth voice, his character. Something about.

“I could, if you want. Stop the rain, that is,” Steve blurts.

Tony looks at him with confusion, skepticism. “I mean... it’d be great if you did, but I don’t think—“

“I could, really,” Steve continues. He shouldn’t be revealing this to some passerby, no matter how enchanting he seemed. Tony was only human, much unlike himself.

“Well... go ahead, then?”

Steve finds himself staring a minute, before watching back out the window. He raises a tentative hand, hesitant to demonstrate this ability. Why, oh why had he offered in the first place?

He snaps his fingers, and almost immediately, the rain ceases. Steve looks to Tony, whose eyes had widened like saucers.

“There’s... there’s no way,” Tony mutters with bewilderment and doubtfulness. “There’s no way— that has to be a coincidence. Has to be!”

Steve snaps his fingers again, and the rain returns in an instant. Tony’s expression remains somewhat panicked (which was understandable— humans had no knowledge of powers like these), but also intrigued, and perhaps a bit amazed.

“You... you can really do that? Control the weather?” Tony asks quietly, now looking to Steve. His eyes were filled with curiosity, with a touch of wonderment.

“Mm hm,” Steve nods. “But I-I don’t do it often. I just... I don’t know. Something overcame me, I guess. Something about...”

“Something about what?” Tony inquires, tilting his head as a dog may do. Or perhaps like a puppy, to match those eyes of his.

“Something...” Steve takes a breath. “Well, something about you. I don’t know, it’s stupid. Forget it. I’d recommend you to be on your merry way if you want to get to that motel before the rooms are all occupied.”

_Gosh, Steve was such an idiot sometimes. Way to go._

He begins stalking off towards the back room, when Tony catches his wrist.

“Wait, I— I don’t know where to go because I’m running away.”

It was Steve’s turn to dawn a look of confusion.

“I’m running away from a legacy that I never wanted. A life I don’t want to live. I was hoping to start here, because it was the closest thing to civilization as I could find. I _walked_ here. My car broke down about two miles up the road, and I didn’t have what I needed to fix it. I’m not walking _sixty_ more miles for somewhere to stay the night. I’ll sleep outside if I have to, I just...”

Steve was honestly at a loss for words, and, frankly, he had been none the wiser to the lack of vehicle in the lot, or how Tony’s person was still wet from trekking in the rain, how his hair stuck to his forehead, or how his shirt clung to his torso.

“I- this better not be a ruse for pity,” was the first thing Steve said, and _god_ he wished he hadn’t. The expression on Tony’s face was damn near heartbreaking. It didn’t even make sense to say, either— Steve could very well tell it wasn’t a sob story.

The instinctual hurt look was replaced by pleading eyes. “Please, I swear it’s not, I... I don’t have anywhere to go.”

Steve gives in in seconds, though he hadn’t much of a reserve to begin with. “Oh... oh alright. You can come with me to the back then.”

Steve leads Tony past the barrier that separates normal customers and outsiders from hidden products. Steve catches a glimpse or two of Tony’s astonishment at magical items as they walk to the very back, where a round, wooden table sits, along with a few matching chairs, and a kitchenette.

They sit and talk, awkwardly at first, but gradually more comfortably. Steve sets out a plate of cheese and crackers from the cupboard as Tony recounts how he ended up just outside of Timely in the first place. Steve discovers Tony’s anxious-slash-nervous behaviour was a cause of Tony’s fear of being found out, being a Stark and all. He had been afraid someone may call the police— after all, no one knew where he had fled to. There were many possibilities of what could have happened, as he was the son belonging to the CEO and founder of a large corporation that was supposed to one day be his, which was something Tony didn’t want. Steve could relate to an extent— perhaps once, yes, he would have rather skipped town and explored the world, but he had eventually found peace in running the general store he had been gifted. He still sympathised with Tony, however.

There’s a short pause as both men sit, soaking in and processing the information traded over the past while; enough time for the rain to stop on its own.

“You could stay with me, if you wanted,” Steve suggests quietly.

“Could I?” Tony looks at Steve with hesitance. “I wouldn’t want to intrude, but that’d be real—”

“Of course,” Steve offers a soft smile. He adds, “Maybe you could work with me in the store, as well.”

Tony pauses a moment, before breaking out into a small grin. “That sounds... nice.”

Days, weeks, months, years followed. An intimate, loving relationship between the two had bloomed over the course of their time together. Tony grew close to the residents of Timely, becoming one himself after a while (the first human resident, too— something Steve liked to brag about).

And occasionally, just occasionally, he’d find himself fixing up broken-down cars of unlucky passerby’s in the pouring rain, who always seemed to be in similar positions as he once was. It was odd...

 

...magical, even.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed?? I've been working on this ever since I saw the post, even before I had access to my computer, so I hoped it turned out okay.  
> Every kudos and comment is very much appreciated! Love you all x


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